Auntie toasts the VRMMORPG

The Riverstones put up a valiant fight against the Brooklyn Bowlers, but it didn't look like they had a chance of winning. With only five more minutes to go, the Bowlers had 11 pearls and the Riverstones only three. Fortunately, Flora's clanmates weren't going for the win.

On the sidebar, the time ticked down. While the Riverstones exerted the maximum pressure, the Bowlers fought conservatively. They already had the win in their pockets and didn't mind the Riverstones grinding their points on them. Not that they made it easy- not taking risks was the smart choice to secure their success.

The game ended with 15 to 5 pearls, and the Bowlers cheered, whereas the Riverstones glared at the stats.

Clan Riverstones vs. Brooklyn Bowlers: 9:13.

"Nooooooo! We missed the mark by only one point!" Flora exclaimed.

Mia opened the stats.

The names of all the players stood in one column, their healing, damage, and protection as numerical values in three more, the next column displayed the match-points, and the last column had comments and little crowns.

First, Mia sorted by damage. Zapple won this category, followed by Plaga Sobreti.

"Isn't he a healer?"

"Not by choice."

Hub won the tank category. The last point went to them because of the bonus mission.

Robby and BBQ were high up in the healing category, but a Brooklyn Bowler defeated them. Most of the Riverstones placed well. The last eight places where only Brooklyn Bowlers, except for Ressa and Hoffi. Flora blamed the superior healing of the Riverstones for the loss. They probably left no wounds open for Robby to heal. Robby reached third place in the MVP category, following the team leader who collected all the pearls and Plaga.

"What now?" Flora asked.

"We'll join the B-challenge tournament next week. Everything is open. We can even gain publicity and fans by doing well. While regular matches in the B-league only draw an audience of a few 100k, millions will watch the tournament." Mia said, unfazed. "Thank you for letting me join your watch party, Auntie. I'll log into the Island for the post-match activities."

"Sure thing, dear. Thanks for explaining stuff." Flora said. "Will you join the team for the tournament?"

"It depends on how much I can grow my modded OV. Currently, I've got only 83 marbles for the BaPa from the kiddie-server, and they are all over the place. My native stats might be on par or even a bit higher than the average B-rated player, but they can't compensate for that huge OV difference. Additionally, I have no tier 5 batticle."

"Getting more of those nifty bonuses is on my agenda as well," Flora said. "My are AIs looking for ways to grow them, preferably with methods I can do in here. Can we exchange information on them?"

"Aidan, filter them. I want to see only the ones I can do in here." Aidan complied, and the list was still several pages long. Flora looked at one randomly.

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Skilled-Endurance: Channel a skill for more than one hour.

+ 1 OV Mana Regeneration.

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"Seems easy," Flora said and looked at the next entries.

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Skilled-Quality: Activate ten skills perfectly in a row.

+ 1 OV Magical Macro-Control.

Skilled-Quantity: Cast 3600 skills in one hour.

+ 1 OV Magical Macro-Control.

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Flora showed them the entries.

"I've done Skilled-Quality, but for the others, I haven't the concentration and mana." Mia smiled wrily. "They are harder than they look."

"Yes, channeling one-hour-long might be quite the challenge to stay awake. I have to fight not to fall asleep!" Flora said with conviction, whereas Mia's expression seemed a bit pained. "With the boxes' help, it shouldn't be any problem, though."

"Unfortunately, you have to do it yourself, Milady. We've already done several of the challenges without getting an achievement." Aidan said.

"Then what about using Radiant Practitioners? They would be able to generate enough mana and concentration for everyone." Flora said.

"You are right. I will suggest it to the boss."

Flora and Eddie said their goodbys and Mia vanished.

Flora leaned back and increased the power of the massage jets.

"What are your plans for the next few days?" Eddie asked her.

"My brain boiled yesterday. I have to take it slow. Maybe a bit of training tomorrow. Do you want to do jiu-jitsu?"

"Heaven, Flora, love! Take it slow! You won't prove to Robby that you are a responsible senior citizen by overworking yourself." Eddie explained. "Time-dilation can't be good for brain boiling. Maybe you log out and take a nice walk in the woods?"

"You are probably right."

Eddie raised his eyebrows.

"You are absolutely right," Flora corrected herself. "The boxes will stop working on Thursday Two. I want to get the most out of them. I'll be responsible and take it easy, but I will stay in time dilation just that bit longer."

"I understand your point. Just don't forget that your health is much more important than some stats. Promise?"

"Promise," Mumbled Flora, scooting closer to Eddie and leaning her head on his shoulders. She wasn't that needy in RL. Virtual Reality had unlocked her touchy-feely side or maybe shaved off some of the barriers she had erected, or it was one of the side-effects of her brain boiling. Yes, the last one had to be the cause.

Flora's eyes closed on their own volition, and soon a soft snore escaped her lips.

"Oh, woman." Eddie sighed. When he looked down, he saw a string of drool making his way from Flora's mouth to his chest. Involuntary, he chuckled but tried to do it quietly. After he put his arm around his friend, he closed his eyes as well.

The ringing of her communication app woke Flora up.

"Ma? Hey! Can Mia and the rest of squad 4-1 join you for the 'Skilled'-Achievements? The rest of us have already completed everything on which a Radiant Practitioner can support. I sent you the whole list."

Flora yawned. "Sure, sweetie, schedule it with Aidan. Congratulation on a match well fought. You did the right call, going for the 4 points."

"Oh, *bleep*. I don't want to talk about it, but thanks." Robby sighed. "If you find any workarounds for other achievements, I'll appreciate your input. Love you, and take it easy! We are used to losing, so no need for you to run yourself ragged to change it."

"I don't want to hear such defeatist statements from you, young man!" Flora snapped, now more awake. "You are talented, hard-working, and my son! You will develop your talents, work even harder, and prevail! Go, conquer yourself, and then the entire game!"

"Aye aye, Ma!" Robby saluted her, then blew her a kiss before he hung up.

Eddie had woken up, too. That disgusting old wheezer had drooled on her while sleeping, but Flora was too much of a lady to mention it, especially when a quick Clean took care of it easily.

The two old friends chatted for a while about everything and nothing. Of course, Flora invited Eddie for the achievement marathon.

While Aidan taught Eddie the spells he needed for it, Flora finally had the time to look at her Sweeping Blow Aptitude Test results.

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Thank you for participating in the Sweeping Blow Aptitude Test!

Summary:

Flowing Flowers excelled at using her magical attributes. We recommend a path that utilizes them.

Considering that she had little experience with party play, she did an excellent job with all party-roles. We recommend a skill tree that lets her explore them more.

Flowing Flowers showed trust in her companions and unparalleled skill in administering them, whereas her reaction time and battle-mastery are only very good. We recommend the companion playstyle over the hero playstyle.

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"If me communicating with potato-sack Golly or the elementals counts as 'unparalleled', I pity the rest of the players," Flora mumbled.

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Recommended Skill Tree: Techno-Psychic.

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Flora stared at the single word. Just when she wanted to ask, a tree popped up. The recommendation had included all the classes she already had, minus the Champion. She hoped that it wasn't a bad omen. New was the root class, Techno-Psychic, and a few elemental and warrior classes: Lightning Fist and Fist-Master, Lightning Shield, and Shield-Master, connecting them to Elemental Mage was a class called Lightning Guard.

"What's Lightning Guard, Aidan?"

"The signature skill of the class allows the user to transform into an elemental. It's a hero class, Milady. All your Mana-Regeneration is used for the transformation and forms a fifth pool. With that energy, you can enhance your elemental skills. I don't understand why it's in the tree when the Test discouraged you from using the hero-playstyle."

"Maybe it's not for me, but for my golem? Anyway, I like it and want it. Have you found a teacher for it?"

"No, Milady. You have to do well in the elemental caverns to learn the signature skill, and all other skills don't work without it. However, I scheduled teachers for all the other new classes in the tree and 10 hours of achievement hunting for tomorrow. I left enough time for naps."

"Good work, Aidan."

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Hidden or challenge classes to enhance the tree: Elemental Knight, Heaven's Tribulation Practitioner.

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"What do we know about them?"

"For the Knight class, you have to win the daily Knight tournament. It's focused on tanking and mounted fighting. Then you can just go to the Elemental Halls and get the advanced class. I have no concrete information about Heaven's Tribulation Practitioner. The rumors say it's a class that combines divine powers, light, and lightning. Radiant Practitioner may be a prerequisite. The Test was kind enough to give us a hint: 'Where heaven and earth meet awaits your quest to heaven's path.' Mount Rendezvous is often referred to this way."

"Maybe I check it out with Robby on our mother-son date. Tell me about Techno-Psychic."

"It's a class to strengthen your personal AIs, Milady. Players use this class to connect to AIs if they don't want to have nocks because of their metal handicap. Robby owns it and has agreed to teach it to you."

Flora checked her schedule for tomorrow and Robby's list of achievements. She tried to cram as many as possible in the 9 hours with Squad 4-1.

Eddie yawned. "It was a long day. Can I crash here?"

"Sure, Aidan will fetch you a bed."

"We can share one." Eddie wiggled his eyebrows.

"Get any of those thoughts out of your head, Mister!" While it was alright to do spa activities naked in German culture, sharing one bed was a different kind of toast. You can do the first without any type of harassment or flirtation, but the latter invited both.

"What thoughts?" Eddie pretended to be innocent. "I would never have any inappropriate thoughts about my most prudish spinster friend! Except for that one time-"

"We don't speak about that one time." Mistrustfully, Flora glared at him. She donned her leisure suit and contemplated whether she should put her mech-suit on as well to put a few more layers between her and that man.

"You are not thinking about wearing your mech-suit for bed, are you?" Eddie asked.

Damn old friends! They know you too well!

Eddie settled into her bed like he owned it, and Flora joined him reluctantly.

"Good night, love."

"Good night, dear," Flora said softly.

"Can I get a good night kiss?"

"No!"

*farting beep*

"Aito!"